CKCloseup: Polo silk knit tie and foulard pocket square

Today at the Thrift - Liberty Pocket Square

Wish List - Everything

This is my kind of outfit. Now, if only I could afford that fantastic blazer.

Inspiration

Pretty much perfect.

Just in from eBay

Today at the Thrift - Six for Six

Today's Outfit - Cool in Cotton

Vintage cotton herringbone blazer

Chaps blue oxford

Polo Ralph Lauren cotton/silk oxford tie

Vintage cotton pocket square

Levi's 501 jeans

Austen Heller Red Rovers loafers

Practiecality: Part 1

Yes, it's Practiecality. Following up on a reader question, I'll be taking a few posts to explain building one's tie collection.

This is a cheap but well-made cotton tie from Belk, and for one dollar at a thrift shop, I could do a lot worse. So while a cotton tie certainly isn't the most versatile piece to enter your wardrobe, it may be the easiest to purchase without much regard for quality. When you purchase a cotton shirt, high thread counts generally equal high quality. When you purchase a cotton tie, thread count is no issue. Cotton ties are inherently casual, and as such, the only issues to concern yourself with are stains and rips. I've acquired over fifty cotton ties - knit, oxford, poplin, twill, seersucker, etc. - and it doesn't matter whether the label reads Robert Talbott Genuine Indian Bleeding Madras Made in USA or Meeting Street Hand Made in China. As long as you like the look of it, you're set.

For what colors and patterns should one be searching?

Well, if your main route of acquisition is the thrift shop, take what comes to you. As with silks and wools, solids are most versatile but - let's face it - often boring.

Solid navy is the essential starter for woven or knit cotton.

From there, go for striped knits. They're plentiful on eBay for less than ten dollars. Stick to two and three-color variations for the sake of shirt pairings. Striped wovens are great but harder to find, especially seersucker. 

Next, feel free going mad for plaid. Searching cotton plaid tie (rather than madras) on eBay brings up loads of cheap options. Keep in mind that when wearing most plaids, you're limited to a solid shirt that goes with a dominant color in your tie.

Today's Outfit - Red Breasted Preppy

Polo Ralph Lauren striped shirt

American Living paisley repp silk tie

Burberry bluish-charcoal windowpane sport coat

Vintage Japanese silk pocket square

Polo Ralph Lauren red corduroy trouser

Merona charcoal socks

Johnston & Murphy vintage black leather wingtips

Pocket Square Pick Up

Organizing my pocket squares for the first time in a year.

Today's Outfit

Polo Ralph Lauren striped oxford

Polo Ralph Lauren silk knit tie

Burberry navy blazer

Vintage silk pocket square

Diamond Men's Shop Dress Gordon tartan lambswool scarf

Polo Ralph Lauren Preston tan chino

Club Room red socks

Allen Edmonds Randolph shell cordovan loafers

Today's Outfit - Purple and Grey

Polo Ralph Lauren poplin shirt

Polo Ralph Lauren silk jacquard paisley tie

Polo Ralph Lauren cashmere/cotton cricket sweater

Burberry plaid sport coat

Nautica cotton pocket square

Vintage worsted wool charcoal trouser

Club Room solid purple socks

Allen Edmonds Nassau black shark leather shoes

Today's Outfit - Simple and Shantung

When you're wearing a tie this bold, it's best to keep the rest simple. Aside from a complimentary pocket square, a solid blazer, shirt and trousers maintain a rather traditional combination.

Burberry navy blazer

Polo Ralph Lauren poplin shirt

Robert Talbott shantung silk tie

Vintage Japanese silk pocket square

Polo Ralph Lauren green chino

Merona navy socks

Chaps white bucks

Old and New - Wembley Ties

Ah, the 1940's, when ties were no more expensive than a soda is now. I've found a number of early Wembley ties made from silk, linen and wool. I've also discovered a bunch of later Wembleys made of acrylic, polyester and acetate. Fortunately, the company is back at it with a line at JCP, and these ties are once again constructed of natural fibers. Inspired by old collections, the new ties are slim but not skinny and feature simple stripes, plaids, and motifs. Check them out, you might be pleasantly surprised. 

Also while you're at JCP, check out the Happy Socks collection.

Today's Outfit - Going Grey

I hate to wear black. With few exceptions, it's sad, dreary, and makes one look pale. Charcoal grey, however, looks elegant without feeling stuffy and, I'd say, looks damn good in contrast to yellow. Here, I matched the pocket square off the yellow windowpane of the sport coat. The small gingham tie provides depth over a solid shirt. My one regret about this outfit is the shirt, as I'm on the hunt for some solid white semi-spreads. The Rag & Bone cardigan is a recent buy from the Target/Neiman Marcus holiday collaboration. There's no way I was going to bite at the original $69.99 price, but I picked this up on clearance at $20.99 and after a few wearings, it's proven to be a worthy investment.

Polo Ralph Lauren poplin shirt

Polo Ralph Lauren gingham silk tie

Rag & Bone marled cotton/wool cardigan

H. Freeman Bespoke sport coat

Vintage grey worsted wool trouser

Polo Ralph Lauren charcoal wool socks

Allen Edmonds black bit loafers

Today's (Sort of) Outfit - Combining My Latest

A combination of rather neutral colors blend together in today's outfit, centered around my new Talbott tie. The weave of the sport coat almost appears as solid from a distance, making the paisley pocket square stand out in contrast to the relatively bright tattersall tie. This is all grounded up top with a simple, white shirt. Below, my snuff-colored cords draw coordination with the warmth of the tie and below that, though not pictured, are standard argyles and longwings.

Polo Ralph Lauren poplin shirt

Robert Talbott woven silk tie

H. Freeman Bespoke sport coat

Vintage Italian silk pocket square

Polo Ralph Lauren snuff corduroy trouser

Merona navy/brown argyle socks

Florsheim Imperial chocolate longwing brogues

Essential Accessories - Web Belt

Every guy needs a few good belts, but once you have your basic black and brown leathers, what's next? Simple web belts like these from the Gap are the best value around. Though I've bought only a handful of pieces from the Gap in the last five years, these belts, composed of a cotton-blend with leather accents, are rather sturdy. Right now you can buy them around $14 (down from $19.95) with the coupon GAPDEAL.

A Timely Purchase - Axcent Watch

Every now and then, a great deal comes along from Gilt. With a $25 coupon, I picked up this watch from Axcent of Scandinavia for around $40. Though I have several vintage pieces, I've been wanting a green-faced watch for a long time. Why? No clue. Anyway, last week I found just what I'd been looking for and I couldn't be happier. I'm already well-stocked with grosgrain bands so I have plenty of options when it's time (...I know) to change things up.

Today's Outfit

Chaps blue oxford shirt

J. Crew silk knit tie, made in Italy

Polo Ralph Lauren hand-knit pima cotton shawl sweater

Lands' End reversible cotton plaid scarf

Polo Ralph Lauren green Andrew chino

American Eagle marled cotton boot sock

Polo Ralph Lauren shearling Ranger boot

Simply Mint

Mint heather lambswool, made in Italy. A worthwhile investment of $20 at Marshall's.